NINE DAYS

US, 2021, 124 minutes, Colour.

Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong, Bill Skarsgaard, Tony Hale, David Rysdahl, Arianna Ortiz.

Directed by Edson Oda.

A thumbnail review: ‘existential God-figure searches for his own redemption’. Someone else might write a different thumbnail: ‘characters, hoping for new life, undergo challenges for nine days’. In fact, both have quite some truth in them. And one might add, not a spoiler, this is a film which ends with an intensely dramatic recitation of Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself.

Nine Days was sponsored by the Sundance Institute and, one does not have to journey very long into the running time to appreciate that this is very much a Film Festival Film. It is demanding, requires concentration (especially to puzzle out what is actually happening and why), has an esoteric setting, an isolated house out in the Utah planes. In a sense, this is pre-time and we are not always realising that another of the nine days has passed until one of the characters alerts us.

There is a towering performance at the centre of this film, holding our attention, holding our admiration despite the ranges of moods, the judgements he makes on some people, the tasks he set them, and his involvement in his own life and problems. He is Will, played by Winston Duke (seen in the Black Panther films). Will is in charge of the centre where he interviews the candidates for new life, sets them tasks over the nine days, asks them to focus on important moments for them, challenges them in their sometimes erratic behaviour. There is only one of the candidates who will proceed to be born.

And, all the time, he is surrounded by large screens, a huge video collection, memories of the young violinist, whom he had chosen for life, and her death which continually torment him-watching on the screen the films of her life, videos as backgrounds for some of the people he is interviewing, videos which can recreate precious memories or an exhilarating experience of the candidate’s choice (a walk on the beach, particularly a bike ride through the Latin American town and out into the countryside).

And, at his side, is Kyo (English actor with Chinese Backround, Wong in the Marvel Universe from the Dr Strange movies), adviser, supervisor, challenging friend, a kind of guardian angel to Will, a blend of the genial and the raucous.  There are intriguing performances, given their characters and what is required of them, by Tony Hale, smug and resentful though insecure, Bill Skarsgaard, younger and more serious, Arianna Ortiz a sensible middle-aged woman.

But, also at the core of the film, is a young woman, Emma, played by is Zazie Beetz, seriously observing Will, discussions, continually puzzling, charming Will, probably the obvious candidate for the audience to approve her being born. But, that would be too easy a decision for this kind of film.

Some commentators remarked how original the ideas and the screenplay of Nine Days are – but, it is worth noting that in the 2020 Oscar-winning Pixar film, Soul, this was one of the key ideas, the souls preparing themselves to be born.

[Variety journalist, Peter de Bruge, noted in his review that this film was limbo-like but, with its moral dilemmas for the candidates before they were born, it could be called a Pregatory.]

1. The title? Expectations? The director and his Brazilian background American background? Filming in Utah, California, Brazil?
2. The premise of the narrative? Souls preparing to be born, interviews with the supervisor, the nine days to prove themselves, writing and notes, observing, creating characters, given a choice for a significant moment? But few being chosen?
3. The location photography, the house in the open plain, the desert plain? The interiors of the house? The range of locations for the flashbacks, the Hispanic town, children growing up, music and concerts, the local wedding, walks on the beach, the suggestion of limbo existence, pre-purgatory, pre-gatory?
4. The existential feel of the film, the nature of life, human life, relationships, ambitions and achievement? The prospect of life, being born? Decisions, success and failure?
5. The importance of Will, his physical appearance, manner, in charge? The same clothes? His office, documents, working’s office? The story of Amanda, sending her to be born, her life, growing up, music, to appear in the concert, the crash, his going over and over the sequence, reliving it, puzzled about her choice? His manner with the interviews, his working with the candidates, interactions, challenges, criticisms?
6. Kyo, his presence, ethnic background, assistant to Will, handyman, work around the house and outside, a device to Will, criticisms? A kind of Guardian Angel? His interaction with the various candidates? The final decisions?
7. Will, providing images of happy moments of the candidates’ choices? The videos, the big screens, the screening of the images? On the beach? Cycling through the town and out into the countryside?
8. The different personalities of the candidates? Their interviews? Mike, putting himself down, the walk on the beach, the attack by Alex? Alex, smile, seemingly confident, the beach, assault on Mike, the interview with Will, pleading for another chance, not getting it, his resentment? Maria, matter-of-fact, her story, her imagination, discussions with Will, her choice of the moment of cycling? Kane, young, not obtrusive, appearing more at the end, the meal with Will and Emma, Kyo’s story, their having to share disgusting stories, Kane serious, finally laughing? And his getting Will’s consent to live?
9. Emma, age and appearance, presence, observing all, Will, the conversations, the effect of the experience on her, discussions with Kyo and his support? Her final interview, and not being chosen? Her going out into the desert plain?
10. The effect on Will, the memory of Amanda, affection for Emma, his reasons for not choosing her? Hurrying out in pursuit of her? Her turning? His past wanting to be an actor? His dramatic rendition of Walt Whitman’s poetry, a poetic dramatic climax, the existential content?
11. A different exploration of the life?